Peter O’Neil, Ottawa (Postmedia News) – The RCMP has set aside $4 million to deal with 2010 Olympics-related lawsuits, according to Treasury Board documents tabled in the House of Commons.
The money is for a potential liability relating to “vendor contracts and loss of business during the Vancouver Olympics in 2010,” according to the 2011-12 supplementary estimates.
Supplementary estimates are tabled in order to get parliamentary approval for items not already included in main estimates that are tabled following the annual federal budget, which is typically introduced in late winter or early spring.
“All that is is an obligation on our department’s behalf to report on the potential liability, but it’s not an admission that we’re liable for anything,” Supt. Kevin deBruyckere said Friday.
The RCMP was hit with a number of lawsuits relating to alleged loss of income due to security efforts and other measures taken before and during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler.
Coast Range Heliskiing of Pemberton launched a lawsuit claiming it had to shut operations because the RCMP Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit’s Olympic security screening and no-fly zones made it impossible to do business.
But that lawsuit was settled last year, according to deBruyckere.
Among the “six or seven” cases still outstanding is a claim by a U.S. cruise charter company, which is suing the RCMP for cancelling a $57.3-million deal to house 2010 Olympic security personnel.
Cruise Connections Charter Management alleges that Edmonton-based Newwest Travel and Cruises breached conditions of a joint partnership to bid on the RCMP accommodations contract.
DeBruyckere said the Mounties made sure well in advance of the 2010 Games that local businesses were aware of the implications of intense security measures.
“There was extensive consultation with all the stakeholders with respect to the requirements for securing the airspace around the venues. There were consultation committees, there were actually regulations that were put in place for that period of time.”
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